Reviews (45)

One of the great war films of the 1960's
The Guns of Navarone is an excellent WWII adventure based on the novel by Alistair MacLean. It tells the story of Captain Keith Mallory and a team of expert saboteours who must destroy two radar controlled guns on the Mediterranean island of Navarone. If they do not succeed in their mission, 2,000 Allied troops on the island of Kheros will be killed unless they can be picked up before a German invasion. This movie is full of adventure as the team climbs a 400 foot cliff, battles German patrols all over the island, disputes among themselves, and so much more. This movie never slows down from beginning to end as the team tries to make their way into the small island fortress containing the guns. Boosted by an excellent Dimitri Tiomkin score similar to his score for The Alamo, this is a great movie with plenty of action and an excellent cast.

Gregory Peck stars as Captain Keith Mallory, who must lead the team on their mission. He is his usual good self in the role. David Niven and Anthony Quinn are both excellent as Corporal Miller, the logical explosives expert, and Colonel Andrea Stavros, a Greek guerilla fighter who has a past with Mallory. The rest of the team includes Anthony Quayle as Major Franklin, Stanley Baker as Brown, the expert with machines and knives, James Darren as Papadimos, the ruthless killer, and Irene Pappas and Gia Scala as two underground fighters on the island. James Robertson Justice and Robert Harris also make brief, but very effective, appearances early in the movie. The special edition DVD includes production notes, widescreen presentation, theatrical trailers, a documentary, commentary, and several featurettes. This is an excellent WWII adventure with great action and a perfect cast. If you like the movie, check out the novel by Alistair MacLean. Don't miss The Guns of Navarone!

Great Guns...
The Guns Of Navarone is a classic WW II adventure story. Based on the novel by Alistair MacLean, the story follows the adventures of a group of Allied commandos on a mission to destroy a pair of Nazi cannons emplaced into the side of a cliff, on the Greek island of Navarone. The long and winding tale would be the first of MacLean's many novels to reach the screen, and remains one of the better adaptations of his works.

After an air strike fails to destroy the guns, it is decided that an undercover attempt to destroy them will proceed. The team is headed by Major Mallory (Gregory Peck) a renowned mountaineer. The rest of the group includes, Colonel Andrea Stavros (Anthony Quinn), explosives expert Corporal Miller (David Niven), Major Franklin (Anthony Quale), Pvt. Pappadimos (James Darin) and Pvt. "Butcher" Brown (Stanley Baker). The first leg of their journey is by sea into dangerous waters patrolled by the Germans. The group barely manages to get ashore on Navarone, before their boat is broken on the island's rocky shore. Their next step is to scale a sheer cliff, at night and in a driving rain. Somehow, they make it to the top, but not without casualties, as Franklin suffers a broken leg on the climb. From there, the group treks through the mountains with the wounded man, pursued by the Germans. They make contact with two members of the local resistance, Maria (Irene Papas) and Anna (Gia Scala), and proceed to the town of Mandrakos where they are captured. Escaping from the Germans, and now dressed in German uniforms, the group arrives in the town of Navarone, and prepares for their ultimate challenge, the destruction of the guns. It's no easy task, and the group is badly shaken by internal problems. With new resolve, they forge on taking the story to its explosive climax.

For screen adventure in classic tradition, don't miss this one. For the time, this was the height of action and adventure filmmaking. Now, over 40 years old, you may not believe that this film won an Oscar for best special effects. The transfer to DVD of the restored print is excellent for a film of this age. Extras include an informative documentary as well as some behind the scenes featurettes shot during the making of the film. They add to the enjoyment and appreciation of this war epic. Director J. Lee Thompson's commentary track, is sporadic and delivered in a halting speaking style, which may be a bit slow for some. Bear in mind that Mr. Thompson was probably about 85 years old at the time, recalling events that happened 40 years before.

Gregory Peck leads the way!
This was one of the first war movies I ever saw & even after watching modern masterpieces like Saving Private Ryan this is still one of my very favorites. This classic WW2 flick has it all: suspense, awesome & believable characters, great action (of course!), humor, & even romance. The three main stars are Gregory Peck, David Niven, & Anthony Quinn. Peck is perfectly cast as the leader of the group of commandos, & I've always thought he was great playing officers in war films (Pork Chop Hill, MacArthur, Twelve O'Clock High, etc.). Niven is both fun & annoying as the uptight Brit who constantly challenges Peck's authority. Quinn is a real treat as a deadly Greek who holds a grudge against Peck for a past "incident". This movie has many unforgettable scenes: Quinn taking on an advancing German column of troops with his sniper rifle, the confrontation with the traitor, & the incredible climax. I agree with other reviewers that they don't make 'em like this anymore! Whether you love war movies or are new to the genre, this is a definite must!

Amazing Barrage & Fast-Paced Stories Within A Story
I remember first seeing The Guns of Navarone when I when I was about 10 years old. I was totally enraptured from word-go. It is still one of my favourite films. The action is non-stop. We learn about all of the key players; finding out that, even though they are on the same side, they have deeper conflicts between/amongst themselves - more so than with the common enemy. Eventually, they are forced to drop their differences and unite to destroy one of the most threatening weapons against the Allied Forces: The Guns of Navarone. High-tech (for that era) guns invented by the Germans. Not only do you find conflicts within this team of saboteurs, you find friendships that form among them as well. Even though this film isn't true to the book, by Alistair MacLean, it is still excellent none-the-less. I find it rather difficult to give details of an almost 3-hour epic, without giving away too much information; I want the viewers to be caught up with this stories-within-a-story, as I was. The elements of surprise are truly stunning. I also experienced that my watching The Guns of Navarone several times, I see and/or hear new things that I missed before. The details are subtle as well as obvious. An all-star cast of Gregory Peck, David Niven, Anthony Quinn, Stanley Baker, Anthony Quayle, James Darren, Irene Papas, Gia Scala, James Robertson Justice, and Richard Harris. The music by Dimitri Tiomkin is wonderful. It's well worth having. This VHS tape is not only wide-screen, but it also has a series of short documentaries of restoration, the film itself, and theatrical trailer. I highly recommend this.

Intriguing war movie
Action filled war movie, great story, great cast. Concerns a commando team small enough to allow growth of character for most of the members, but large enough to have a few killed off, adding to the intrigue. Plenty of unexpected turns to maintain the interest, even though the viewer assumes from the beginning that the "objective" will be attained. Unexpected romance ads spice to the dish. The "effects", great for 1961, are still sufficient to carry the story.

Great performances by Gregory Peck, David Niven, and Anthony Quinn. James Darren of music and surfer movie fame does an especially good job in an action role. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"Just remember, she might be pint-sized, but she's quite a woman." The original surfer girl gets her own three-film DVD collection, dippy fun from a more innocent time. 1959's Gidget made real surfers nauseated, but it's a kicky movie with some great lounge-era lingo. Sandra Dee, perkiness personified, plays the curious teen who breaks the gender line in surfing. She's also got the attention of surf-happy Moondoggie (James Darren) and the big Kahuna (Cliff Robertson), the latter the prototype of the surf bum who roams the globe in search of the endless summer. The film actually kicked off the great boom in surfing popularity (the Beach Boys and the Beach Party movies followed), much to the chagrin of purists. It was based on a novel by Frederick Kohner, who was inspired by his daughter's experiences.

Gidget Goes Hawaiian (1961) puts Deborah Walley in the title role. She's no Sandra Dee, but at least there are shots of Walley doing her own surfing stunts. The action's in Waikiki, and Gidge is pursued by a confused Moondoggie and a famous dancer. They are played by James Darren and Michael Callan, and having the two 1960s male ingenues in the same movie suggests a weird collision of matter and anti-matter. The spark goes flat in Gidget Goes to Rome (1963), with yet another new actress (Cindy Carol) paired with a loyal James Darren. It's closer to Three Coins in the Fountain than the sandy beaches of Malibu.

DVD caveat:none of the films is in widescreen. The sequels don't suffer much, but the original Gidget was shot in CinemaScope, and the pan-and-scan approach hurts the summery look of the picture--even if it's just Sandra Dee balancing in front of blue-screen waves. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (3)

BEWARE - Gidget DVDs are pan & scan
I was all set to pre-order this DVD set of the first three Gidget films when I learned that they are pan & scan, not widescreen. All three films were made in widescreen, and the original "Gidget" was filmed in Panavision--meaning that the pan & scan version will cut off 1/2 of the picture. (I'm not sure if the other two Gidget films were Panavision (2.35) or 1.85 widescreen.)

If you're thinking about buying this as a permanent part of your DVD library, you may want to wait until Columbia does a proper job on the DVD. Even if you don't have a widescreen televison now, you will before too much longer...

Fond Memories
I grew up with these movies and in fact have two out of three of them on VHS already. My daughters who are just entering their twenties enjoy them with me. James Darren was my teen idol, and Sandra Dee was so sweet it was a joy to watch. Now Gidget goes Hawaiian still gave me James Darren, but I also got to enjoy the dance and music of a variety of other stars, it takes me back to a softer time. I can't say I enjoyed Gidget goes to Rome as much, but the scenery was worth it.

YAY! They Are FINALLY Out On DVD!!!
I grew up with these movies. My mom had me watching them when I was very young. They are VERY dear to my heart. They are somewhat dated (style-wise), but still completely enjoyable. The issues involved still ring loud and true among teens nowadays. I am just out of my teens (I'm 20 years old) and even with all the "teen flicks" coming out these days, I would have to say that Gidget Goes Hawaiian is one of my favorite teen movies of all time. But here you don't just get that one, you get all three (although let it be known I've never seen the entire Gidget Goes to Rome--but I would pay 20 bucks just to get the first two!)! These movies are just ADORABLE! ... Read more

Description

Jess Franco’s Supernatural Sex Stunner!

Of the all the twisted hits from cult director Jess Franco (SADOMANIA, 99 WOMEN), this is the one that fans and critics alike call his masterpiece! James Darren (THE GUNS OF NAVARONE, DEEP SPACE NINE) stars as a traumatized trumpeter sucked into a whirlpool of psycho-sexual horror along with his sultry girlfriend (singer Barbara McNair), a kinky lesbian (Margaret Lee of THE BLOODY JUDGE), a depraved playboy (the legendary Klaus Kinski) and the mysterious, insatiable beauty (luscious Maria Rohm of JUSTINE) who may lead them all straight to Hell.

Dennis Price (VAMPYROS LESBOS) co-stars in this infamous erotic shocker that also features an outstanding jazz score by British rockers Manfred Mann. VENUS IN FURS has been remastered from original vault elements and is now presented totally uncut, uncensored and loaded with exclusive Extras, including all-new interviews with Jess Franco and the elusive Maria Rohm.

EXTRAS:
- Jesus in Furs – Interview with Director Jess Francoo
- Audio Interview with Star Maria Rohm
- Theatrical Trailer
- Poster & Still Gallery
- Jess Franco Bio ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Visual and aural delight.
This is a movie masterpiece make no mistake about it.It combines erotica, surrealism, mystery and stunning scenery interwoven with inspiring jazz music.The backdrops of Rio and Istanbul in the late 60's are as exotic as the storyline itself. This is the tale of a jazz trumpeter who finds a girl washed up on a lonely beach.He realises that he has seen her years earlier at a party getting involved in a "heavy scene" of sadistic sex games.Then she arrives alive once again to revisit her old acquaintances and lead our trumpeter on a confused journey of self-discovery.The plot is mildly surreal, but genuinely captivating.The allusions to risque sex are dealt with tastefully as erotica and not porn.The soundtrack is just brilliant - a memorable highlight of the film.Whereas some of Jess Franco's movies loose the plot in parts, this is tight and brilliant from start to finish.The power of this film is only going to grow with time.The print copy on this DVD is good - like every other blue underground release I've seen it is colourful and beautiful to look at.The DVD also has enough extras to keep people happy.

Franco's Psychedelic MindTrip now on an excellent DVD
Generally considered Jess Franco's finest work, Venus in Furs is the epitome of the Euro-cult exploitation/horror genre. It stars Franco favorite, Maria Rohm as Wanda and James Darren as Jimmy, the Jazz trumpeter. Jimmy sees Wanda being whipped and stabbed to death in an S&M scene gone awry. He flees but finds her mutilated body washed ashore on a beach in Istanbul. He then flees halfway round the world to Rio de Janeiro. But horror of horrors, Wanda or someone who looks like her walks into the Jazz club where he's performing. He falls for her and they become a couple, much to the consternation of his girlfriend played by the black singer Barbara McNair. Suddenly, one by one, the people responsible for Wanda's death, end up dead, beginning in Rio and ending up back in Istanbul. Is Wanda really dead? Is it her spirit coming back for revenge? Well, as we find out, Wanda really is dead and so it eventually turns out, is he. Is your head spinning yet? In this acid-tinged psychedelic movie, it really isn't all that important. It runs on a logic all its own. But the final twist, which predates The Sixth Sense by decades, brings this trippy masterpiece to a fitting close. Audience reaction to this movie often falls into two diametrically opposite camps, either you love it, or you detest it. I found it very enjoyable and taken as a whole, the most satisfying of all of Franco's works.

Among Franco's output, this has probably the least amount of gratuitous nudity or sex, and what there is of it, is beautifully lensed by Angelo Lotti, in his only collaboration with the director. None of the cheesy soft-porn fare we see in his other films. In fact this has probably the best camerawork in all of Franco's movies. With its use of a classy jazz score, specially written and played by Manfred Mann and Mike Hugg, psychedelic imagery, glossy sets and generally high production values, it transcends its sexploitation origins.

On a separate note, do not confuse this work with Leopold von Sacher-Masoch's literary classic of the same name. The only similarity is the title and the name of the main character, Wanda. Franco's explanation tells us the reason. His film was orginally titled Black Angel and he originally envisioned a black actor for the male lead. But social attitudes at the time prevented the casting of a black actor having intimate relations with a white woman. Hence the change to a white male lead. Then the money-men decided they wanted him to produce a film based on Masoch's novel "Venus in Furs". As he was already planning to film Black Angel, he conveniently changed the title, gave his main star Maria Rohm a full length fur-coat to put on, changed a few things in the script and hey presto, his Black Angel became overnight what the producers wanted, "Venus in Furs". This sleight of hand to get funding for his movie meant that the film had little in common with the original novel. The kindest thing is to say that it was inspired by Masoch's novel. By the way, Masoch's novel has been translated many times into film, some bearing the original title, others not. Franco's version bears the least resemblance to it. (Masoch is the origin for the word masochist which is what the protagonist in the novel was and what he definitely isn't in this movie).

Blue Underground has done a remarkable job restoring and remastering this film for DVD. It is not perfect but for a film shot in 1969, it looks stunning. The colors are rich and vibrant, skintones are accurate, black levels are spot on with impressive image detail. Film grain is visible throughout, especially in outdoor shots but this isn't too distracting. There are dirt specks and debris in certain scenes, especially in the slow-mos, which makes you wonder if they were culled from different sources. But for most of the movie, picture quality is simply outstanding. Blue Underground presents the film in its original 1.85:1 widescreen with anamorphic enhancement. Sound is 2.0 mono but a very beautifully recorded and remastered mono it is. No hiss, no crackle. The music comes though crystal clear and with great presence. Voices are dubbed throughout although all the actors spoke english. While James Darren and Barbara McNair dub their own parts, we never get to here Maria Rohm, Margaret Lee or Klaus Kinski. With each new release I stand in awe of Blue Underground. They are to Genre/Cult films what Criterion is to mainstream cinema classics.

Extras include a 20min interview with Franco where he discusses the genesis of the film, an 11min audio-only interview with Maria Rohm who declined to be filmed preferring fans to remember her as the radiant beauty she was in her heyday, a single US trailer for the movie and finally a gallery of stills and posters. A treasured addition to any Franco or Euro-cult collection.

trippy brooding sexy the best version
ok this movie may not be for everyone but if you are in the mood for a trully strange film (by the also srange jess franco) that is both sexy and stylish, has a brooding jazz score, and is abouta down on luck trumpet player who finds a corpse on the beach in instanbul only to see the dead woman again apearing to him in a fur coat and stockings, in rio then give this a go, but be warned this is more a mood driven film not naration driven. that is not to say that the film has no plot but rather the plot takes a backseat to mood, i thought this was one of the most brooding films i have ever seen and enjoyed it for that. if the above doese not sound like your thing then i would be the first to say give thiss one a miss. if on the other hand you still feel like giving this one a go then you too may just fall into its spell. as for the disk its by blue undergound so you know your getting the best nuff said go see the movie

She's got it. Yeah, baby, she's got it.
If "Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls" actually made sense to you, then you likely have the correct mindset to appreciate this trash epic from director Jesus "Jess" Franco. "Carnival Of Souls" meets "Blow-Up" in this gothic-horror-psychedelic-sexploitation fest. Light on plot but heavy on atmosphere and rich cinematography. Maria Rohm is the mysterious siren who stirs the loins of a brooding jazz trumpet player, played with a perpetually puzzled expression by James "Moondoggie" Darren. Temporarily forgetting that he has a girlfriend (Barbara McNair, who would probably prefer that we not remember her for appearing in the worst Elvis movie ever, "Change Of Habit"), Darren follows Rohm to the back room of a mansion, just in time to witness her (apparent) demise at the hands of a decadent playboy socialite (the ever disturbing Klaus Kinski) and several of his kinky friends, who all appear to first enjoy a little sado-masochistic foreplay with the victim. Some time later, Darren is playing his trumpet on the beach, where Rohm's body washes onshore. Next thing we know, she has somehow "revived" and sets out to wreak revenge on her tormentors, in between love scenes with Darren (Or did she ever really exist, outside of Darren's mind? Tune in to find out!) Believe it or not, the story was allegedly "inspired" by a conversation director Franco once had with the tragically doomed jazz great Chet Baker. Manfred Mann and his band (circa 1969) supply a surprisingly accomplished jazz score (which involves slightly more complex chord chemistry than, say, "Do Wah Diddy"). Darren actually played his own solos (he apparently started in show biz as a trumpet player!) Blue Underground does a nice job with packaging and remastering, and adds present day interviews with the director and star Rohm. Would make a perfect double bill with "Siesta" (if someone would ever release it on DVD-hint hint Blue Underground!).

venus in furs
first off i liked the way he wanted to do it from the blackman viewpoint.to bad he backed down. would have had more KICK. too busy. to much jumping around.great music mr franco setting in on the sets was nice like hitchcock. not enough salsa!!!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Sal Mineo's drum playing is outstanding
Sal Mineo plays legendary jazz drummer,Gene Krupa,in this bio pic. This is an outstanding movie Sal's acting is superb,and his drum playing is breathtaking!Sal Mineo was one of the great actors of modern time,and this film proves it.

AWESOME! SAL MINEO ROCKS!
"The Gene Krupa" is possibly the BEST movie in which SAL MINEO was the picture's main STAR~~A huge Box Office hit in 1959! He studied the drums for 18 months(training with the real Gene Krupa) and although he is playing along onscreen to the REAL Krupa's soundtrack, Mineo's drumming is REAL and leaves you breathless. His acting in this film, as always, is amazing, and the supporting cast is awesome! Featuring the lovely Susan Kohner(who also co-starred in Sal's hit movie version of his tv play, "DINO"), James Darren, and apperances by jazz greats, Anita O'Day, Red Nichols, and Buddy Lester, this is a wonderful biopic sure to thrill jazz lovers, and inspire all generations of future drummers. It's also a wonderful treat for the Sal Mineo fan, especially to see him in something so different than his most famous Oscar nominated role in "Rebel without a cause."(Sal Mineo also was nominated for an Oscar and won the Golden Globe for "EXODUS")

FINALLY ON DVD!!!! Release more Mineo flicks on DVD!
At long last, "The Gene Krupa story" has been released on DVD by Sony/Columbia home video. Rather than review the actual film, this review concentrates on the DVD format as I am very pleased with this edition! The DVD is nicely packaged with a color picture on the front of the box. The film's glorious black and white has been digitally remastered and the clarity is just amazing. Even more important, the film is presented in full "widescreen" so you can view the film the way it was originally presented in theatres. This allows you to view the entire scope of the screen, instead of having the left and right sides of the screen chopped off into a crappy traditional "square" television format. You can see so much more as we all know how wonderful wide screen is. Although the soundtrack is still "mono," Sony has digitally remastered it, and presents it on this disc in "Dolby Digital." This makes a huge difference as the sound is deeper, lusher, and does great justice to the music. This is simply a beautiful presentation of this film. There are no "special features" such as behind the scenes or out takes, however it does have an interactive menu complete with chapter search. This DVD version of the film blows the old VHS version out of the water! For me, this DVD gave me a fresh new viewpoint of the film. The widescreen format compliments Sal's drumming so much that the VHS version could never come close to doing. I rate this DVD a 10+ on the scale of 1-10! If you love this film as much as I do, BUY THE DVD! Now, if only "Who Killed Teddy Bear" could be released on DVD..Now that would be a treat! I am concluding this review with some technical specs: Screen Formats: Widescreen Anamorphic 1.85:1 Closed Captioned Language and Sound: English: Dolby Digital Mono Original Release Date in theatres: 1959. Released to DVD in May, 2004

One Of Sal Mineo's Finest Performances
For jazz and music lovers "The Gene Krupa Story", is unsurpassed entertainment of the first order and contains some of the best ever work by talented actor Sal Mineo. Sal took on his first real solo starring role in this biography of the legendary Gene Krupa who as the percussionist for the Benny Goodman Quartet became the first real jazz heartthrob developing a legion of besotted fans. A major part of his legend was his innovative playing of the drums and in this film Sal Mineo manages to recreate that special magic, with some of the most amazing precussion work ever caught on screen. Having gained stardom for his sensational work in "Rebel Without a Cause", Sal Mineo was at just the right age and level of acting experience to tackle this major acting role and to his credit he manages all the stages in Krupa's life in a totally believable manner with a minimum of sentiment. Mineo's level of understanding of both the sheer genius of Krupa's ability and also his darker personal side makes for a wonderful screen performance that stays in the mind and makes "The Gene Krupa Story", a viewing experience to treasure.

The film traces Krupa's life from his humble beginnings in Chicago as the youngest child of working class parents who live by the rules of traditional life based around family and the church. We get a very early glimpse of the conflict already existing in young Gene when he brings home a set of drums which his angry father smashes as unsuitable for his son to be wasting his time on. After his father's death Gene however bows to the expectations of his family and joins the priesthood but after a year realises that it is not the life for him. He joins up with friend Eddie Sirota (James Darren) and his band and begins playing in many of Chicago's speakeasies. Eddie has a girlfriend Ethel (Susan Kohner), however soon a real attraction develops between her and Gene. Determined to succeed Gene soon pursuades Eddie to make a stab at work in New York's jazz scene. After a rough start and surviving on little money Gene through the force of his personality and sheer talent , manages to get a break which sees him climbing to stardom as the most electrifying performer in New York's big band scene. However stardom with all its adulation and material benefits also reveals its dark side as Gene begins to become involved in the heavy drug and drinking culture of the musicians world. His success also sees him begin to loose sight of the people who are important to him as he becomes alienated from Ethel who after committing herself to Gene finds herself forgotten. Best friend Eddie also drifts away as he doesn't approve of his friends free wheeling drug laden lifestyle. After being set up on a drug charge Gene's world rapidly crumbles before his eyes and he serves a jail term for possession which sees all those people, like selfish singer Dorissa Dinell, supposedly his lover abandon him in his hour of need. Upon release Gene experiences the full force of being considered a "has been", as he is reduced to performing in strip clubs and gambling houses. The hard times however refuel Gene's earlier love of music for the sheer joy of it and ever faithful Ethel comes back into his life as the steadying force she always was in the hard times. The conclusion sees Gene reunited with Eddie's band and setting out on a new life as the talented drummer that he is but this time with a more level view of what is important in life, which in his case is the devoted love of Ethel.

Sal Mineo is perfectly cast as Gene Krupa and he actually received the wholehearted blessing of the jazz legend to play him in the film. Mineo worked with Krupa to perfect his drum playing and the result on screen is sensational as Sal Mineo gives his heart and sole to his playing. The drum playing was actually recorded by Krupa however Mineo had the difficult task of matching that on screen which he does admirably. Totally devoted to perfecting his craft as an actor Mineo died far too young and sadly saw his star eclipsed long before it should have. This film along with "Rebel Without A Cause", and "Exodus", among others is this talented actors legacy to the movie going public and he will be remembered always for his great work in them. The supporting cast is uniformily fine with James Darren as Krupa's best friend Eddie, the before mentioned Susan Kohner as Ethel, and Susan Oliver in the hard driven role of Dorissa really shining and they perfectly compliment Sal Mineo's work. Appearances by real life jazz performers Buddy Lester, Red Nichols and Anita day also add an authentic ring to the story depicted. Character actress Celia Lovsky also has a memorable role as Gene's disapproving mother who is mystified by her son's obsession with the drums. The photography in "The Gene Krupa Story", is top flight with the often seedy black and white photography highly effective in particular in both Gene's pre stardom scenes and those depicted in his fall from grace when much of the action takes place in seedy "greyish", surroundings. Mineo's supreme concentration on his playing of the drums is a marvel to watch and is guaranteed to leave you breathless.

The great thing about "The Gene Krupa Story", is that you dont have to be a jazz enthusiast to enjoy the story or the music. For any lover of the drums it makes compulsory viewing and the golden age of jazz in the 30's is authentically recreated in this Columbia studios production. For me the best thing about the film will always be seeing the extraordinary talent of Sal Mineo on display. He combines strength and a touching vulnerability in his playing of Gene Krupa that leaves you rooting for him right through. I highly recommend this film to all lovers of jazz/swing and to those that like the less sentimental kind of performer film biography. Enjoy Sal Mineo at his electrifying best in "Columbia's "The Gene Krupa Story".

hooray! The Gene Krupa Story
I was stationed on a NIKE Army site between Albany and Sylvester Georgia in 1960-1961. I had the priviledge of showing the movies on our base. Due to staggered duty hours for the troops, I ran the Gene Krupa Story 3 times in one evening with the last showing at midnight. It was the only multible showing of any movie but I was more than eager to run the Gene Krupa Story as I was enthralled with the music and great drumming. Being a musician myself, it was a pleasure to offer it to my buddies no matter what time it was! Ben Shackelton ... Read more